Zhao Jiaqi’s legs went weak after hearing this. It was too damn stimulating. Her head buzzed, and her blood pressure fluctuated wildly, nearly killing her!
Seeing her listless body, Fan Zehao scooped her up in a princess carry. He thought that the only thing that could make his wife's eyes widen in shock was money!
“Haha, my dear wife, I thought you only enjoyed the process of earning money and weren’t interested in the money itself, since you rarely look at our bank notes. I never expected you to be such a commoner!”
How dare he mock her? She raised her small fists and lightly pounded his chest a few times, indignantly asking, “I am a commoner, so what?”
Without money, what would you eat, drink, or wear? Would you have to hang yourselves or stuff yourselves?
Wouldn’t a golden toad be better, one that attracts wealth and gold and only eats without excreting?
These few light punches were no more than tickles on him; in fact, the more she hit, the more ticklish he became.
Fan Zehao feigned surrender, “Alright, alright, you’re still angry. I was just teasing you. You women, your thoughts are so hard to guess. Besides, I did such a great deed, and you don’t even reward me. Instead, you hit me. That’s not fair to me!”
He even said “you women,” as if he had experience with several women!
Outside the mansion, he helped her onto the horse, then mounted his own. He wrapped his arms around his little wife in front of him, feeling a sense of contentment and even better spirits!
At the Song residence, Song Xin’s face fell when he learned of Fan Zehao and Zhao Jiaqi’s intentions.
He almost kicked Fan Zehao out, his beard bristling with anger. “I’m this old, can’t you let me live a few more years?”
Fan Zehao couldn’t reason with Song Xin, so he shot his wife a look, begging her to intervene.
They say a scholar can’t win an argument with a soldier.
But in his case, the soldier was a good one, but the scholar was too stubborn, simply unreasonable!
Zhao Jiaqi smiled at his predicament. “Uncle Song, you’re not even sixty yet. You should get out more and stretch your muscles. They say an inch longer muscle adds ten years to your life. Look at Imperial Physician Qi; he came out of the Imperial Hospital and is still saving people. He’s about your age, but he looks much younger. If you don’t believe me, go ask Uncle Qi. You’ll know if I’m telling the truth!”
Song Bo was swayed by her words, and his heart began to move.
He stroked his bristling mustache and mused that since he hadn't been Prime Minister these past few years, life had been comfortable, but his body had become lazier, and his movements had slowed considerably.
He raised an eyebrow and asked her, “Are you really not tricking this old man?”
Zhao Jiaqi retorted, “Elder Song, when have I ever lied to you?”
The latter shook his head. He really hadn't. So he figured this matter was genuine and readily agreed, “No problem. It’s just managing a small place, what’s so difficult about that!”
“Besides, Xiao Jiang was also a military general before, and he acts decisively. I quite like him!”
He agreed so easily to persuade the stubborn old man?
Fan Zehao’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. He had said so many good things, and Song Xin wouldn't budge, but a few words from his wife, and he immediately changed his mind!
The harm was minimal, but the insult was extreme!
He needed to cultivate diligently at home; otherwise, he wouldn’t even be able to deal with an old man.
After discussing the matter, they were invited to dinner that evening, allowing these two people, who were not young, to meet. They would be working together in the future!
Having finished this important business, the couple rode their fine horses to the Miracle Workshop. This workshop was a cash cow, a money-printing machine. The goods produced here daily were countless!
It generated a lot of silver. Since Bai Lu wasn't here, and her godfather was getting on in years, she needed to visit whenever she had time!
When the Prince and Princess arrived, the gatekeepers immediately rushed into the workshop, weaving through various paths to find Wu Lifeng, the head manager.
“The Prince and Princess are here, riding this way. I took a shortcut to get here!”
As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of horses' hooves approached from afar. Wu Lifeng looked up and saw the couple arriving on horseback!
“My godson, my goddaughter, what wind has blown you two here today?” He stepped forward, his beer belly protruding, and chuckled. “Come inside. That Xie Kun just brought me some freshly picked green tea. Come and try some!”
Mingqian tea was already available so early?
“That would be wonderful. We’ve been thirsty all the way. It’s perfect to drink some fresh tea to moisten our throats!” Fan Zehao never understood the meaning of politeness.
He pulled his wife into the room and saw many account books on the table, indicating that someone was busy.
Wu Lifeng took a small jar of tea and, as if it were precious, picked out a few leaves and placed them in a teacup. He looked as if he wanted to put only a few leaves in each cup!
Fan Zehao frowned and reached out to snatch the jar. He moved quickly to put tea leaves in, but Wu Lifeng was faster, clutching the small jar of tea to his chest. “This is all the good tea we have this year. We have to drink it carefully and savor it slowly. Too much tea will make it bitter and unpalatable. This is enough!”
“Godfather, spring tea is plentiful outside. Can’t my brother Kun get you some more? I’ll pay for it, won’t that do? Quickly, get some more. There aren’t even ten tea leaves in this cup. I can’t even taste the flavor!”
Wu Lifeng shook his head repeatedly, locked the tea jar, and grumbled, “Your brother Kun searched many mountains to pick this little bit. If it weren’t for you two coming, I wouldn’t have taken it out at all. You should be content!”
He said it without thinking, but it sparked a thought.
The Qingming festival rain falls heavily; the twenty-four solar terms have meaning. The low yield was because there was no rain.
“Godfather, where did Brother Junkun find these tea leaves?” Zhao Jiaqi asked him.
It wasn’t that she was curious, but she was concerned about which cities he had visited. If it hadn’t rained in those cities, then this year might be a drought across the entire Yun Kingdom.
This would undoubtedly extinguish her last glimmer of hope!
After Wu Lifeng boiled some water, he sat in a chair, tilted his head back, and recalled, “He went to Nanzhou Prefecture and also visited the capital. He has two shops there, and he said he’d sell them and come back. He should be home in about seven or eight days!”
Nanzhou Prefecture, that wasn’t far from the capital. It seemed like it wouldn’t be a good year.
The two drank tea for a while and, accompanied by Wu Lifeng, toured the workshop.
The various workshops were working diligently and in an orderly fashion, each performing its duties without any issues. The couple then returned to the capital.
A few days later, the wild vegetable workshop was busy producing finished wild vegetables. Bai Lu returned, covered in dust and looking weary.
She had lost a lot of weight and looked gaunt, which made Zhao Jiaqi’s heart ache. She had been away for a whole month!
“Madam, all our shops and workshops in Yun Country have been dealt with. I’ve arranged for everything on the surface to be transferred, but in secret, they are still our own businesses!”
“Well done, you’ve worked hard. Don’t worry about anything for the next few days. Just rest well and regain the weight you've lost!”
How could she not be touched that Bai Lu had gone through so much trouble for a bit of money?
She sent Bai Lu back, imagining how Bai Lu must have endured the past month.